The Cecil Whig., 1887-12-10
MR.. BLAINE ON THE MESSAGE,
Expression of His Views of Mr.. CIeyeIand's
Tariff Recommendation

New YORK, De THE 7ribune'.
Paris correspondent cables to that paper
giving the views of Mr.. Blaine on the
Presidents message. Mr.. Blaine spoke
as follows: II have been reading an alb
stract of the Presidents message and
have been especially interested in the
comments of the London papers. These
papers all assume to declare the message
is a free trade manifesto and evidently
are anticipating an enlarged market for
English fabrics in the United States as
consequence of tho Presidents recon-
meudations. Perhaps that fact stamped
the character of the message more clearly
than any words OF mine cam
''1 ou don't mean actual free trade
without duty" querIed the reporter
No" replied Mr. Blaine. Nor do
the London papers mean that. They
simply mean that the President has
recommended what in the United States
is known as revenue tariff, rejecting
the protective feature as an object, and
not even permitting protection to result
freely as an incident to revenue duties"
Il don't quite comprehend that last
point, said the reporter.
II meat said Mr. Blaine, THAT tor
States the President recommends retain
ing the internal tax in order that the
tariff may he forced down even below the
fsir revenue standard. He recommends
that the tax on tobacco be retained, and
thus that many millions annually shall
be levied on a domestic product which
would far better come from a tariff on
foreign fsbrics.'
f,r nf = La
hacco tax. He said. Il should urge
that it be done at once, even before the
Christmas holidays. II would in the first
place bring great relief to growers of to
bacco all over the country, and would,
moreover. materially lessen the price Of
the article to consumers. Tobacco to
millions of men is a necessity. The Pres
ident calls it a luxury, but it is a luxury
in no other sense than tea or coffee are
luxureS.
Il would not advise the repeal of the
whisky tax. Other con, iderations than
those of financial administration are to
be taken into account with regard to
whisky. There is moral side TO it. To
cheaper the price of whisky is to increase
the consumption enormously. 1t would
destroy high license at once in all the
States Whiskey has done a vast deal OF
harm in the United States. | would try
to make it do some good. | would use
the tax to fortify our cities on the sea
board"
Further. Mr.. Blaine informed the Trt-
bUhe representative that he would main
tain the tax on whisky $50 long as there
is whisky to tax, and when the national
government should have no use for the
money | would divide the tax among the
Federal Union, with the specific object
Of tightening the tax on real estate. The
houses and farms of the whole cOunUry
pay too large proportion of the total
taxes. II, ultimately, relief could be
given i'll that direction, it would, in my
judgment, be wise and benetceI,t
policy"
Concerning protection To wool growers.
Nj. Blaine said: Il should seriously OBJ
i"ct to the repeal of the duty on wool
TO repeal that would work great inius-
tice to many interests" The question
labor, Mr.. Blame declared, underlay the
whole subject.
The interview, which is Of considerable
length, gives a lucid statement of hr.
Blaine's views on the tariff of 1916 and
it's results, one OF which, he holds, was
the financial panic Of 1857, which every
bank in New York was compelled to sus-
pend specie payment. Four hundred
millions in gold had bsen carried out OF
the Country in eight years to pay for for
eign goods that should have been manu-
featured at home, and we had years of
depression and distress as an atonement
for our folly.
Attention is given in the report to the
subject of the increase of our export
trade, Mr. Blaine asserting the import
arce of this He said, however, lit is
vastly more important aot to lose our
own great market for our own people in
he vain effort to reach the impossible
1t is the vast domestic trade which is
valuable. 1t is into this illm sable trade,
even tow III its Infancy aud destined to
attain "A magnitude not dreamed OF twenty
years ago, that the Europeans are strug
Cling to enter. The genuine free trader
appears unable to see or comprehend hat
this continental trade-uot our exchanges
Eitn Eur"pe-i. the great source OF our
prosperity. President Cleveland now
plainly proposes policy that will admit
Europe to a share of this trade"
To the queS lou concerning the eff3ct
of the Presidents message i'll the South,
Mr.. Blaine said: Il don't dare to answer
that question. The truth has been so
long obseured by certain local questions
of unreasOnlng prejudice that nobody
can hope for industrial enlightenment
among their leaders just yet. But in my
view the South above all sectiouS of the
L nion needs protective tariff. The two
NirginiaS, North Carolina, Kentucky,
Missouri, Tennessee, Alabama and Gsor
gia have enormous resources aud facilities
for developing and handling manufac-
tur"S.
They cannot do anything without
protection. Even progress SO vast as
some OF those States have made will be
checked if the Presidents message is
enacted into law Their Senators and
Representatives can prevent it, but they
are 50 used to following anything labeled
democratic that very probably they will
follow the President and blight the pro-
gress already made. By the time some